How to Track Recipes in MyFitnessPal

MFP Recipe Guide

Tracking your recipes in MyFitnessPal doesn’t have to feel confusing or time-consuming. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or your weekly meal prep, knowing how to log homemade meals accurately is a game-changer for hitting your goals without overthinking it. In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to track your own recipes step-by-step — and I’ve included a full guide to make the process even easier. Let’s make logging your meals simple, accurate, and stress-free.

WHY GO THROUGH THE EFFORT?:

If you cook your own meals, tracking a recipe in MyFitnessPal (MFP) is one of the best ways to get accurate calories and macros for homemade food. Instead of guessing portion sizes or logging ingredients one by one each time, create the recipe once, save it, and log the portion you ate. Spend 10 minutes building it right, and future you will thank you! Here’s a simple, practical guide to doing it right

WHY TRACK RECIPES, NOT JUST SINGLE INGREDIENTS: 

• Saves time — log a saved recipe in seconds.

• Improves accuracy — totals calories and macros across all ingredients.

• Lets you log irregular serving sizes (300 g of casserole) rather than forcing equal splits.

TWO MAIN WAYS TO ADD A RECIPE: 

• Add From the Web (Recipe Importer) — paste a recipe URL and MFP will try to match and import ingredients automatically. This is fast but always double-check matches.  (For example, when importing an egg it autopopulates as a pound of eggs)

• Enter Ingredients Manually — you type each ingredient and amount yourself (or bulk-paste a list). Slower, but most accurate when you use exact brands/weights.

STEP-BY-STEP: MOBILE APP OR DESKTOP 

1. Open MyFitnessPal and go to “More” —> My Meals, Recipes & Foods 

2. Tap Create a Recipe or Create a New Recipe

3. Choose Add From Web (paste a recipe URL) or Enter Ingredients Manually. If you paste a URL, the importer will pre-populate ingredients for you — review every match.

4. Name the recipe and set the number of servings (or save as “1 whole batch” if you prefer to log by weight later

5. For each ingredient, confirm the database match and the quantity. Edit if MFP matched a generic item but you used a brand (e.g., “Brand X Greek yogurt”).

6. Save the recipe. Now it appears in My Recipes and can be added to your diary as a serving or fraction of a serving.

PRO TIPS FOR ACCURATE RESULTS

• Weigh all ingredients. Logging grams is far more accurate than cups.

• Use exact branded foods (e.g., “Chobani 0% Greek Yogurt”) 

• Double-check the importer. The URL importer is fast but sometimes matches the wrong items or wrong quantities — always review.

• Decide how you’ll define a serving. You can save the recipe as “1 batch” and then log by weight (e.g., log 250 g of the batch), or set the recipe to yield X equal servings. The batch method is best for casseroles, soups, etc. 

• Use the website for complex edits. The web recipe calculator can be easier to edit if you have many ingredients.

• Save and test by logging one serving to your diary and confirming totals look right

EXAMPLE - MY FAVORITE PROTEIN CEREAL BARS

www.coachkikilfg.com

St. Patty's Protein Delight: Lucky Charms Bars Recipe

Transform Your Snack Game with Our Lucky Protein Bars!Celebrate with a festive snack that's as nutritious as it is delicious. Your taste buds and muscles will thank you.Get ready to charm your taste buds and boost your protein intake with our delightful Lucky Charms Protein Bars! These festive treats are not only perfect for St. Patrick's Day but are also a fantastic way to add a fun twist to your health and fitness routine.Made with simple ingredients like light butter, marshmallows, and your f

• INGREDIENTS:

  • 140 grams Cereal 

  • 140 grams Mini Marshmallows 

  • 28 grams Light  Butter (Blue Bonnet Light OR Country Crock Light) 

  • 30 grams (1 scoop) Protein Powder

• PROTEIN FROSTING:

  • 60 grams (2 scoops) Protein Powder

  • 16 grams Powdered Sugar Substitute (like Truvia - I track this as regular powdered sugar because although it says “zero” calories it still contains carbs) 

  • 2 ounces Unsweetened Almond Milk

Need More Help with Tracking Macros?

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